Advertise on podcast: Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

Rob and Jess are exploring the writing systems of the ancient world.𓀀 How do hieroglyphs work?✍️ When did writing first begin?🫆 And how did we solve the mystery of Linear B?For these answers, and many more, enjoy this gloriously outdated episode of Words Unravelled. Also, check out Stefan Milo on the Phaistos disc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PbkThIkdiM And Rob's video about hieroglyphs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90An1dnvwyc WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/m9AaobtBMtA 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/

Let's explore some funny sayings from around the world. In this episode, Rob and Jess discover other languages' equivalents of phrases like "raining cats and dogs", "cost an arm and a leg" and "one sandwich short of a picnic". Discover idioms in languages as diverse as Korean and Russia, Quebecois and Welsh in this wordy nerdy world tour of adages from overseas. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/YBIXXAipmZw

Rob and Jess are celebrating 100 episodes of Words Unravelled by sharing their top 100 wordy nerdy facts. 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/1PM_iwxAyb8 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/

Willkommen! Jess and Rob are exploring the German words in English. In this Zeitgeisty episode, discover: 👻 What doppelgänger literally means,📏 The longest German word,🤧 And why Americans say "Gesundheit!" when they sneeze.  Satisfy your linguistic wanderlust in another wunderbar edition of Words Unravelled. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/Lad89Mtao0U

You speak more Latin than you think. Not only are the many French words in English derived from Latin, but almost 30% of our vocabulary comes directly from the language of the Romans. In this episode, Rob and Jess explore how those words got there, what they literally mean, and whether we are using them correctly. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/52GtCvS7HCU ==LINKS==Rob's YouTube channel: youtube.com/robwordsJess' Useless Etymology blog: https://uselessetymology.com/Rob on X: x.com/robwordsytJess on TikTok: tiktok.com/@jesszafarris

Rob and Jess are taking the deepest of dives into the origins of words from the ocean.🐟 Are many fish 'fish' or 'fishes'?🦈 Why is there a mystery around sharks?🐠 What is a sarcastic fringehead?These questions answered, and many more, in this subaquatic special of Words Unravelled. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ROB EDINBURGH TICKETS: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/robwords-live 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ 👀 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/-54FiJ0PsXo

Take a pinch of witchcraft, add a touch of sorcery, and "Hey presto!" you have a wordy nerdy episode about magical terms. 🧙 Can only women be witches?🔒 What did a warlock originally do?🪄 What is the literal meaning of 'Alakazam'? These questions answered – and many more – in another enchanting episode of Words Unravelled.  🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ROB'S EDINBURGH SHOW: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/robwords-live 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/O5DTL8Ogoo4

We're exploring the origins of common sayings relating to numbers in this episode. 🥉 Why is the third time a charm?⛅️ What's so great about "seventh heaven"?🙃 Why do we say "at sixes and sevens"? Rob and Jess explore these numerical idioms – and many more – in this magnificently mathematical edition of Words Unravelled. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/gH0Zz10y9Ek

What did the Vikings do for us? Rob and Jess are exploring the words left behind by the Scandinavian invaders. 🪓 How much of English is Old Norse?🗺️ Which place names are inherited from "the Danes"?📝 How did the Norsemen change English grammar? These questions answered, and many more, in another Words Unravelled. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ROB EDINBURGH TICKETS: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/robwords-live WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/La3toomR-ow

Why do Americans and Brits have the accents they have? Sociolinguist, professor and author Valerie Fridland joins Rob and Jess this week to discuss why we talk funny. 🍮 Does 'caramel' have one or two syllables?🪶 Do Americans sound more like Shakespeare than Brits?🎩 Why do some accents sound 'posher' than others? These questions answered, an many more, in another gloriously nerdy episode of Words Unravelled. 📘 VALERIE'S BOOKS 📕Why We Talk Funny: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/744046/why-we-talk-funny-by-valerie-fridland/Like, Literally, Dude: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/671558/like-literally-dude-by-valerie-fridland/ 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/t71jZBSfack

How does an artist use a 'donkey'? What does 'Mona Lisa' actually mean? Who is the "dada" in Dadaism? Rob and Jess are explaining word origins from the art world in the latest Words Unravelled, exploring artists, artworks and art supplies. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿ROB'S EDINBURGH SHOW🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/robwords-live 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/0xi1MatI3pw

Rob and Jess are exploring deceptive words in other languages, like French, German and Spanish. So-called 'false friends' look familiar to English speakers but mean something very different. Watch this episode to avoid any sticky situations when you're next abroad. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ROB'S EDINBURGH SHOW 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/robwords-live 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ 👀 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/XA4d9r6Yu5A

Why is it called "Rock and Roll"? Who came up with "The Beatles"? Which bands took their names from literature? Rob and Jess are answering all manner of musical etymological question in this off-beat episode of Words Unravelled. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/JlgQIDxufh0

¡Hablas más español de lo que crees! You speak more Spanish than you think! In this episode, Rob and Jess are exploring the Spanish words that have entered English both sides of the Atlantic. 🤠 Which words entered English in the old West?🐴 Which animals are surprisingly Spanish?🇪🇸 Why do people in Spain sound like they have a lisp? These questions answered – and many more – in another Words Unravelled. 👀 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/vrKG4SLajSg 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/

Let's explore the mysteries of our weird alphabet. Rob and Jess are joined by Danny Bate, author of Why Q Needs U, to discuss where our letters came from and why they make the noises they make.🅰️ How was A originally an ox?𝑄 Why does Q always appear with U?🦓 Is it ZEE or ZED?These questions answered and so many more in an alphabetically astounding episode of Words Unravelled. 📖 Buy Danny's book, WHY Q NEEDS U: https://geni.us/WhyQNeedsU 👕 OUR MERCH 👚US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/EqaYS3vWKGY